


Devil's Carnival

by Sinistretoile



Series: Hallowe'en [36]
Category: Vikings (TV)
Genre: 31 Days Of Halloween, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Carnival, F/M, Fortune Telling, Halloween, Halloween Challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-06
Updated: 2018-11-06
Packaged: 2019-08-19 14:39:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16536521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sinistretoile/pseuds/Sinistretoile
Summary: At a carnival, Ivar has his fortune told.





	Devil's Carnival

**Author's Note:**

> Day 25 of 31 Prompt: Abandoned amusement park/Fortune teller: “You want to know your future?”/”Oh my god, I think the crystal ball is working. The spirits are telling me you’re a dumb ass.”

Ivar’s crutches sunk into the soft, hay-strewn ground. He grumbled under his breath. He’d have to clean them when they got home or it would dry and he’d be tracking it everywhere. His girlfriend slipped up beside him and kissed his cheek.  
“What’s wrong, baby?”  
“Nothing, bunny, just this stupid mud.” The carnival was alive with bright lights of many colors, clashing music and sounds of laughter. There were buzzes and dings and loud thumps that could have been any one of the games. The scents that filled the air were those you could only find in a travelling carnival, fair or freak show. Amusement parks could duplicate it to an extent, but it wasn’t the same. Gasoline and oil from the rides and motorized games. The electric pop and sizzle of the lights. The myriad of food smells that combined. It all came together to one distinct smell that everyone knew.  
“Let’s ride the carousel.” Ivar stood with his love, watching the spinning lights. Hvitserk stumbled up with Margrethe laughing. They’d already been in their cups. Ivar rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Come on. We can sit in the swan and snuggle.” She nuzzled behind his ear and he grinned.  
“What my bunny wants.” The four of them made their way around to the gate. Hvitserk handed the carni the tickets for the four of them. Ivar’s crutches banged loudly against the wood and metal ‘floor’ of the carousel. He dropped into the seat set inside a giant resin swan. She cuddled up next to him. Hvitserk and Margrethe climbed onto to multi-colored tigers in front of them. The music distorted as the ride began to spin. The molded animals rose and fell.  
“Hi-yah!” Hvitserk stood on the foot pegs and pretended to spur the plastic feline. Margreth howled with laughter.  
Ivar shook his head and looked out into the muted darkness beyond the flickering yellowish lights of the carousel. The first time around, nothing caught his eye. The second time around, he spotted the hunched over old woman. The third time around, they looked right at each other, keeping eye contact until he was too far around the bend to maintain it.  
“What is it, Ivar?” She sat up and followed his gaze as they came around a fourth time. The woman was gone but there was placard with a chalk drawing of a crystal ball with ‘fortunes told’ in curlicue writing. “Oh Ivar! Let’s do it!” She beamed at him.  
“You’ve already met your tall dark stranger.”  
She leaned in, still smiling wide. “Yes I have.” Their lips met in a tender but passionate kiss. Hvitserk and Margrethe whooped and catcalled until the two came apart. Ivar stamped a muddy crutch onto his brother’s ass.  
The carousel spun around a few more time before it stopped. Ivar and his love headed straight in the direction of the fortune teller’s tent.  
“Where are you going, Ivar?”  
“To the future.”  
Hvitserk looked up to the vinyl banner that flapped loosely in the breeze. He scoffed. “Ah come on, Ivar. This is a scam.” The four of them ducked into the carpet-like flap. Hvitserk squealed in delight at the kitschy décor.  
Ivar dropped into the chair that was clearly for customers. Hvitserk sat down in the old woman’s chair. “Hvitserk.”  
The blonde closed his eyes and moaned dramatically swirling his hands above the oversize crystal ball in the middle of the table. He opened his eyes and gasped. “Oh my god, I think the crystal ball is working!” Ivar shifted, trying not to show his piqued interest. “Yeah, the spirits are telling me you’re a dumb ass.”  
Margrethe choked on her stifled laughter and Ivar’s girlfriend elbowed her hard in the ribs. “Ow!”  
Ivar noticed the hunched old woman watching them from the shadows of another carpet flap. His love followed his gaze first, Margrethe when her indignation was ignored, and Hvitserk because everyone was looking past him.  
Hvitserk jumped up and grabbed Margrethe’s upper on. “On that creepy note, we’re out of here. Come on, Ivar.”  
The younger brother waved his hand. “We will meet you later.”  
The older brother sighed. “No…we’ll wait.”  
The old woman sat down at the table. Her intense, dark eyes met the charismatic young man’s pale blue gaze. “So, little prince, you wish to know your future?”

Ivar’s handsome face was screwed up in thought as he stepped out of the tent. The fortune teller’s words rattled around in his brain. He bumped into his love’s back. That’s when he noticed the lack of sound and the darkness.  
“What…” He stared around the abandoned carnival in astonishment. They all looked at each other. He whipped around to the tent. Its worn appearance was no more. It was tattered and collapsed.  
“Ivar, let’s get out of here.” The couples hurried through desolate, dark and cold carnival that had moments ago been bustling and bright.


End file.
